Hacksaw picks

by **LameName** » 4 Mar 2005 0:56

I made my first real half diamond pick (no more safety pins for me!) yesterday from a hacksaw blade by using a grinding wheel (my first time, and only 1 small injury!). I wanted to know how durable this pick will be over time. I first tested it out on my back security which has stiff pins, since it hasn't been used + weather effects haven't helped. I thought this lock was going to be unpickable (only a 5 pin tumbler), even though i have picked it in both directions from the inside lock. But it worked! Then i went off and picked the lock on my shed door (4 pins) and got it on the second attempt! I swear i spent about a half hour just looking at the pick.... so smooth and strong..... didn't know i could get so much joy out of a piece of metal...

Enough rambling.... My question is how durable is a pick made from the spring steel of a hacksaw blade??

by **digital_blue** » 4 Mar 2005 1:10

Lame: That depends on you when you make it. If you are very careful to quench often when grinding, you will have quite a strong, durable tool. If you let the metal heat up too much, you will find it brittle. Keeping the metal cool while grinding is the key here.

db

by **LameName** » 4 Mar 2005 1:17

It took me 2 hours to make the pick, mind you thats NOT 2 hours standing at the grinding wheel non stop, just did small parts at a time. I read some where that you have to make sure the metal doesn't turn blue when grinding, but i didn't see that happen at all.

As for the quenching. Towards the end of making the pick when the tang and head were finally starting to get to the correct sizes, i did dip it in tap water every couple of seconds, though it wasn't ice cold, if that makes a difference.

by **digital_blue** » 4 Mar 2005 1:19

No, just quenching in room temp water will do. I would suggest that you quench often throughout the grinding process. The metal is a fickle thing. It doesn't take long at all to overheat.

db

by **LameName** » 4 Mar 2005 1:21

Do i have to go through any tempering processes for my picks or should they be fine?

by **digital_blue** » 4 Mar 2005 1:22

As long as you don't mess up the temper while grinding, they will be just fine.

db

by **Guesss** » 4 Mar 2005 2:23

i think that DB said it all on this one.

but i could recomend to you pyro's video. it does a really good job of showing how to make and also how often to quench. He did a really good job with the movie. teaches lots about making your own. Obviously you can do it

but never hurts to watch and make better and he does it a little faster then 2 hours. :lol:

by **Hojo** » 4 Mar 2005 6:48

3 Seconds of grinding, dip for one second

When I come to doing the tips I do 1:1

My picks lasted a long time...

by **quickpicks** » 5 Mar 2005 15:45

NEVER use cheap peice of crap hacksaw blades. They almost always seem to snap like twigs. My hacksaw blade pickset has lasted about
5 months without any problems.

by **quickpicks** » 5 Mar 2005 15:45

NEVER use cheap peice of crap hacksaw blades. They almost always seem to snap like twigs. My hacksaw blade pickset has lasted about
5 months without any problems.

by **quickpicks** » 5 Mar 2005 15:46

NEVER use cheap peice of crap hacksaw blades. They almost always seem to snap like twigs. My hacksaw blade pickset has lasted about
5 months without any problems.

by **digital_blue** » 6 Mar 2005 14:15

Funny, I actually find that the cheapest crappiest hacksaw blades I can find are the most accomodating to make picks with. They seems to be al lot easier to shape, and I've never had a problem with picks breaking. I pick up a 10 pack of blades for $4.99.

db

Hacksaw picks

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